Kenneth and Camilla
by Ol' Boy Pacman Sims
Summary: Eliza leaves Ken when he needs her most. Ryu, Chun, Cammy come running to pick up the pieces. Cammy stays around to piece the fallen man back together. Can she get him to love again. Probably...
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: One Thing After Another

**San Francisco National Cemetery, Final resting place of Nathaniel and Akemi Masters, 10:26am**

"Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust. May god have mercy on their souls. Amen."

Ken is whirlwind of emotions as he stares into the twin coffins containing his parents' remains. His face betrays how he's feeling, but his eyes…

The father makes eye contact with Ken just as he looks up. He gives a slight nod at Ken giving him his cue to take the podium to give his final speech, his final tribute, his final goodbye to his parents. Ken raises, looking to Eliza before making his way to the podium. The padre intercepts his path and puts a hand on Ken's shoulder, "Be strong, Kenneth," he says. Ken nods tears just nearly falling from his eyes, but he wills them back down.

He stops as come to the coffins, eyeing the portraits of his parents at heads of each casket.

_Dad._

The sky blue back drop with his father's slightly tanned image eyes him right back. His dark brown eyes complete with crow's feet show sternness, yet also have a kindness and wisdom about him. His thick eyebrows a clone of his son's. His closed mouth smile and square jaw also reveals who's his son. But his fading blonde hair, in contrast to Ken's is buzz cut reminiscent of Bruce Willis in _Pulp Fiction_. And his broad, but not bulky shoulders covered in a gray suit coat with white button-up shirt underneath just barely above the bottom edge of the picture.

_Mom._

The other portrait reveals a woman with slightly aged, obviously Asian features with warm, loving and welcoming brown eyes. And like her husband's, her eyes look right at her son. Her slightly bronzed skin practically glows along with her wide, toothy smile. Her raven colored hair is done up in bun, and her neck and shoulders are bare baring the black straps of what appear to be a part of a dress.

Ken then completes his path with much trepidation taking the podium. He takes in the crowd some family, mostly employees. And a few friends.

Ryu (in a suit no less) looks on with a sad and stern look with a comforting arm around the teary-eyed Chun-Li, and the other hand holding hers in her lap. Guile as stone-faced as ever, with his arm around Jane while she quietly sobs into his shoulder. Cammy looks on with a determined look on her face, no tears, but apparent sadness in her eyes. To her left and right, are Juni and Sakura respectively. Juni, sullenness in her eyes, and Sakura wiping her eyes. Rounding his friends and acquaintances from his street fighter days are Sean, Karin, Sagat, and even his master Gouken. But noticeably missing is his son Mel Masters, but only due to his college commitments. Eliza, who had been distant these past few months (even with the advent of her husband's parents' deaths) offers a rare display of support for her husband, offering him a look as if to say 'it's ok, go on.'

Ken then takes a deep breath and with a great effort to delivers the eulogy for his mother and father.

...

**The Home of Nathaniel and Akemi Masters, 12:02pm**

The funeral concluded without incident, except when Ken unleashed all the grief he'd been holding back at the sight of his parents' caskets being lowered and buried. Friends, and family were invited back to Ken's parent's home for smaller informal get together. People start to arrive upon the expansive estate, pleasantries are exchanged between guests as they arrive and Eliza, Ken is upstairs on the phone talking to his son Mel.

"How was the service?" Asks Mel.

"It was good. There was a small controversy with aunt Leandra in the planning though. She wanted a motorcade to be part of the service. I swear she took the old man a lot of serious then he did. In end we with the dad's wishes, and I quote 'I'm not so important that my death should interrupt the regular flow of traffic,'" Ken laughs reverently "A lot of old stories came up, a lot of old faces, a lot of tears." He finishes sullenly.

"Did you speak at it?"

"The old man actually requested that I go up after Father Patrick, best for last I guess."

"Dad, are you okay? You sound down, but I guess that's normal for the circumstances. But you also sound tired."

"Yeah I'm fine, and a little tired I guess. I kinda had a mini freak out when they lowered and buried mom and dad. I guess that and the entire ordeal has taken a lot of me."

"How's mom?"

_That's a good question._ Ken thought bitterly to himself.

"Your mother is your mother I guess. She's been rather distant since a little before you shipped off to school. She's around, but we rarely ever speak anymore let alone see each other. And you know our estate is large enough to where if you don't want to be found, you won't be found. I just need her right now and it's like she wants nothing to do with me!" Ken finishes franticly. "God I just…"

"It'll work out dad, just, I don't know weather the storm I guess."

….

After Ken finishes talking to Mel, he makes his way down stairs joining his in mingling guests. He gloomily trudges through the get-together as he's showered with 'it was a great service', 'your father was a great man', 'your mother was so vibrant', and all sorts of other canned sayings a bereaved man would expect to receive. He sees Guile at the bar having a drink with Sagat. The two old timers acknowledge Ken with a nod and a raise of their glasses. He sees Gouken and Ryu at a shrine they likely erected in tribute to the deceased. He then turns his gaze to Karin and Sakura having a conversation. Sakura, noticing Ken nods and gives him a sad smile. Then to Cammy and Juni comforting a still sullen Chun-Li. And he finally sees Eliza talking animatedly to her parents and Jane in a far off corner. Jane and her mother look sadly at Eliza, then Ken and back again, while father her looks at the floor in disgust.

A hand finds its way to his shoulder, "Ken..." says a soft English accented voice.

He turns to find a short, slender blonde woman. Her hair, not in its usual pigtails, reaching down to her backside. Her head tilted back accentuating the height difference between them. Her big baby blue eyes are boring up into his with a look of concern another woman should be giving him. Her shoulders covered in small, black long sleeved jacket, and under that a long black dress ending just below her knees. A woman of practicality, her look is completed with pair of black flats.

"Cammy…" says Ken.

"You alright?"

"No, not really."

"Well, I'm here for you," she stops wide eyed. "I mean we're here for you," she finishes lamely, looking away.

Ken merely looks on, jadedly shrugging. "I appreciate that Cammy, I really do…" he trails off, looking to that far off corner again. "I need to get to Eliza."

Hurt briefly flashes across Cammy's face. She shrugs it off and pulls Ken into an embrace, "Well I…we're still here for you." Ken, relishing in long yearned after intimate contact immediately returns the embrace. Cammy, by no means a weak woman squeezes harder. "We all are…"

….

**The Next Morning, Ken's Estate 7:07am**

Ken wakes with start, sweating and alone. _As per the usual._ He throws the blanket and sheets off of himself as he makes his way to the master bath. He hits the light, making his way to the sink, turning on the cold water and splashing a handful on his face. The water does nothing to ease his grief and frustrations.

He was unable to talk to Eliza last night. When left Cammy, he made a straight beeline to the little corner his wife and in-laws occupied. When Eliza spotted him, she took off like a thief in the night. When he questioned his in-laws about what Eliza was so animated about, her father took off angrily dragging her mother with him, leaving Jane alone to face a distressed and confused Ken. "It's not my place to tell. I'm sorry," she said while hugging Ken, "about everything."

He leaves bathroom, and starts to make his way downstairs for some breakfast. Last night was his first restful night's sleep he's gotten in while and hasn't been eating right since he got word of his parents' untimely demise. As he reaches the bottom of the staircase he hear a voice.

"Look, Mel, it's complicated. I just can't… No! It's…" he hears Eliza seemingly on the phone with their son.

Ken follows the voice to the end of the winding hall, to the front of the home, and he sees Eliza. She wearing a tan jacket, with a plan white shirt underneath, tan pants and black walking shoes. She got a small travel bag hanging off her shoulder, and two larger suitcases at her feet. Her left arm is crossed around her chest, while the other is upright hand holding a phone.

"I love you…" she finishes lamely, but not before Mel audibly hangs up.

She then turns to Ken. Her mouth in a straight line, dull navy blue eyes full of apprehension staring right into Ken's, as confused and distressed as last night.

"What's all this?" Ken says barely audible.

"Ken, I'm leaving. I'm…"

"Why?"

"I'm not happy. I haven't been in a while."

"Is it something I did?"

"No. It's just, things have changed. The brash, vibrant young man I fell in love with is no longer here. He's been replaced by a corporate, suit wearing sellout! There's no excitement between us. No globetrotting! No street fights! Hell, Sean doesn't even hang around here anymore. There's…"

"Bullshit…"

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me! I said bullshit! I grew up, Eliza! Like you said I should. After that ordeal with Gill and the Illuminati, you said I shouldn't shirk my responsibilities as father, a husband and a businessman. I settled down because I didn't want lose you and Mel or have you guys lose me because I got killed or maimed chasing some terrorists in some tournament."

A cab pulls up to the property. "Good bye, Ken," she says bitterly.

"There's someone else isn't?"

She looks away biting her lip.

"Were you after my money?" Ken says without thinking.

"Ken! Good bye," she says with finality.

She adjusts the strap on her shoulder, turns, opens the decorative door, picks up her suitcases and makes her way to the cab. The cabbie opens the trunk and places her bags in it. She takes a seat in the back, and they drive off.

Ken scoffs, tightens his fist, unintentionally gathering Ki giving his clenched hand and it begins to glow a faint orange. He then thinks, almost a little too clearly to himself, _I'll skip the meal. Yeah. I think I'll train this morning._ He calls his butler, telling him prep the training room and a spare gi and starts to make his way to his private gym on the property. The home phone rings just as Ken exits the room, caller ID reveals the caller to his son Mel Masters.

….

Ok folks, welcome to my first long term project for this site. I hope this first chapter wasn't too rough. I tried to make it all as realistic as I can. Hope you like it!

Don't own the cover photo nor the characters.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Vanilla, White Existence

18 years ago, Cammy White received news that would forever change her life.

Shadowloo is gone. S.I.N is no more. Seth is dead. Bison is dead.

It took her a while for this information to truly sink in, and when it did she was hit with a torrent of emotions. Happiness, that the man who not only wrought destruction in her life, but those of some her friends is gone. Curiosity, as to how it happened, and who did it? It wasn't Delta Red. It wasn't Interpol or the USAF, as both Guile and Chun-Li called Cammy that day. And that curiosity grew into something else…

_What now?_

That question would wreak havoc throughout her personal and professional life in the years to come.

It was revealed that it was once heated rival Juri Han who was behind it. She had sat on the sidelines while Bison and Seth battled it out. She picked off the winner, destroyed what remained of Shadowloo, and seized power in S.I.N for herself.

For one week…

Juri had an epiphany of sorts during her tenure as head of S.I.N. She then took it upon herself to dispatch the staff of base, non-fatally surprisingly enough. With even more of a surprise with the help of Balrog, Vega and Crimson Viper! Who, by the way was CIA agent all along! Viper then called in the cavalry, making arrests, seizing evidence, so on and so forth. (A)

After all the dust settled Balrog, Vega and Juri all walked with very strict probation, likely due to cooperation. They, however, were warned to keep their noses clean otherwise they'd be thrown into the deepest darkest hole imaginable. And it was to Cammy's great pleasure that she served as Juri's P.O of sorts, during Juri's. (B)

_What now?_

After Juri's probation ended, Cammy stayed on with Delta Red for another few months. And it was rough. So much of her life, and even her identity at that point was wrapped up in bringing down Bison and Shadowloo. And with those obstacles gone, she seemed as if she was just going through the motions. That sometimes spelled disaster for her Delta Red teammates. It was after a particularly disastrous mission that Colonel Wolfman pulled her aside.

"Cammy?" he asked solemnly. "What was that back there? You're never this hesitant! I know you've been distracted lately, but I'd figure you'd work through it. What's the matter?! I'm not asking as your superior, I'm asking as your friend."

"I don't know. I just feel empty lately." Cammy started. "Like I have nothing to look forward to, nothing to work for. Ever since I got word that Bison and Shadowloo was finished, there's like been a hollowness inside me. Having Juri answer to me managed to hide it for a while, but it's been growing since she got off probation!"

Wolfman looked down on Cammy with a perceptive look. Paramilitary work was basically all that Cammy knew. Whether in reference to her work in Delta Red, or the darker days of time as a Doll in Shadowloo. She knew little else. She had friends, her cats, but without Bison to chase around she lacked direction. "Cammy, have you ever thought about what you would do after we brought down Shadowloo?"

"No, not really. I mean we kind of got word rather suddenly. And to be honest it hadn't really sunk since a few months ago, when Juri's probation was winding down. She asked me the same thing…" she trailed off.

Wolfman took another look at her. He takes in her appearance, how young she looked for her age, espcically at that moment. The strong, determined, battle-hardened woman and solider was gone, and was replaced with the scared, confused, 16 year old amnesia suffering little girl he'd seen when he first met her. He knew exactly what to do at the moment. He looked down on Cammy one last time before smiling sadly. "You're done…" he said with a finality to his voice.

"What…?" Cammy stammered, with a confused, hurt look on her face.

"There's nothing much here for you at Delta Red, I'm sorry to say. Yes, you have Lita, George, Matt, and myself, but…"

"SIR!" she interrupted. "…Keith…there's still threats out there. And more than capable then handling myself in the field. How dare you imply ineptitude on my part!"

"It's not your competence I'm questioning Cammy, it's your want, your desire for this. And you performance in the field tells me your head is elsewhere. I know it Cammy, and know. And if look down deep enough I'm sure you'll realize it too." Wolfman yelled. He let an audible sigh and continued. "I love you Cammy. You're like the daughter I never had, and I always try to keep your best interests at heart. Even if you can't see that sometimes. The fact of the matter is, I'm in charge of this entire operation, and I can't have one of my soldiers off her game due to a question of 'what now?'"

"…I don't know what to say, Sir?"

"You don't have to say anything. Go see the others in the infirmary. Clean out your desk. You're done here Cammy…"

"Alright…" she said in a defeated tone, her shoulders slumped.

Wolfman took Cammy up his arms and gave her a hug, which she returned. "What will you do now, kid?"

"I don't know. I honestly don't know."

"I suggest you chase that guy you've been crushing on." Wolfman blurts out with a smile. "What's his name again, Kevin, Kyle, Kevin…?" he trails off.

"Ken," Cammy corrected, red rose up on her face.

….

She not only lost her career, but also lost her makeshift family (barring a few friends from street fighting including an Interpol agent, USAF Major, and an illegally adorable blonde ansatsuken stylist) in her Delta Red comrades. At the time this was like a deathblow to Cammy. She had no clue what to do next.

So, Cammy did the unthinkable…

She cleaned her flat…

_What now?_

Cammy acclimated well to civilian life (barring a few hiccups with wearing her leotard in public gyms). She attempted to continue her relationship with her Delta Red squad mates. But them being at the beckon call of whatever threat, whenever it decided to rear its head put a strain on their relationship.

It was at the behest of Chun-Li that Cammy reached out to her 'sisters', however none (but Juni and Juli) wanted nothing to do with her. Cammy concluded it was because she reminded them all of their dark days as Dolls. Juli actually ended up returning to Mexico with T. Hawk not long after her recovery. And Juni wanted to move stateside. With her friends in Delta Red almost always busy, Cammy decided a move to the US might've been the best move for her at that point (and would make her impossible chances of getting with a certain blonde businessman/martial artist a little less impossible). Wolfman and the others at Delta Red agreed, and with their blessing saw Cammy and Juni off to San Francisco.

Money wasn't an issue for Cammy. A combination of a well-paid salary, and very frugal tastes had left her with a sizeable pile of cash to support her and Juni for some time. But Cammy knew it wouldn't last forever. She purchased a decent sized home, in an upper-middle class neighborhood and two cars (one for her and one for Juni). Cammy had a small crisis of what she's going to do for the rest of her life. Chun suggested she join Interpol and be her partner, but she figured without the Bison to chase things would end up the same way at Delta Red. Guile suggested she take a position as a combat instructor for the military. She actually stuck with that for a while, but she end up quitting simply because she wasn't that passionate about it. It wasn't until one night she was channel surfing aimlessly, mulling things over when the cream colored answer plopped into her lap mewing for attention.

_What now you say?_

_Cats! Felines! Mousers! Toms! Tabbies!_

"A vet!" she exclaimed. "Or at least one that deals exclusively with cats!" she finished, giggling.

And so Cammy went to school, graduating with honors, and still had the money to start her own practice. And her cat hospital was successful and continues to be successful to this day.

But there was something missing. There was no one to share the success with. She tried dating. She tried falling in love with others. She even tried batting for the other team! But all other paled in comparison to Ken Masters. The guy had it all. He had looks. Power. Status. Money. But above all that, Ken was among the first to treat her as a person. Not as a victim. Not as an asset. Not as a threat. Not as an obstacle. But as a monster but as a person and a woman even!

His words of encouragement. The purity in his words. The light teasing. Even the not so subtle flirting. Cammy was smitten almost instantly. But therein lies the conflict. He was a married man. And of course with that come the old adage: "If you truly love something let it go." But Ken stirred something in her, and Cammy, by no means a weak woman, didn't have the strength in her to let go.

And there interactions throughout the years certainly did that stirring no favors.

So she distracted herself. With her new found career. With friends. The 'sisters' willing to entertain a relationship with her. With her cats. Even a few empty relationships and a very, very ill-informed marriage.

_Ken…_

….

(A) Slight reimaging of Major Mario's _Seven Deadly S. _

(B) Slight reimaging of Major Mario's _An English Spring_

Also somewhere along the line I'm plan using the relationship between Cammy and Vega depicted some of Electric Smile's work, especially the revelation of an actual genetic relation covered in _Transubstantiation._

Thanks for the love and follows. And to TheMexicanDetective, you'll get that Chun/Ryu scene, but not for a few more chapters.


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